Tocchet, Juulsen Propel Flyers Past Penguins in 2026 Playoffs

In a thrilling display of resilience, Rick Tocchet has led the Philadelphia Flyers to the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The former Vancouver Canucks head coach, now in his first season with the Flyers, witnessed his team fend off a potential comeback from Artūrs Šilovs and the Pittsburgh Penguins with a hard-fought 1–0 overtime victory in Game 6.

The series was marked by a significant shift in goaltending for the Penguins. Šilovs replaced Stuart Skinner in Game 4, quickly becoming a standout performer by winning his first two games and preventing a sweep in the opening round. His impressive performance included a save percentage of .900 or better during those games, and in Game 6, he was a wall, stopping 30 of 31 shots. However, it was not enough to keep the Penguins in the postseason, as the Flyers sealed the series in sudden death.

Tocchet’s tenure with the Canucks was notable; he spent nearly three seasons at the helm, leading Vancouver to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2024. That year, the Canucks posted a formidable record of 50–23–9, winning the Pacific Division and earning Tocchet the Jack Adams Award. Following his departure from Vancouver at the end of the 2024-25 season, he joined the Flyers on a five-year contract, where he has quickly made his mark.

Joining Tocchet in Philadelphia is Noah Juulsen, a former Canucks defenseman who spent four seasons with the Vancouver organization before making the move to the Flyers during the 2025 offseason. Juulsen has contributed to the Flyers’ playoff run, registering two assists in six postseason games.

Looking ahead, the Flyers will face off against another former Canuck, Jalen Chatfield, and his Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division Final. The Hurricanes also made headlines in the first round, sweeping the Ottawa Senators, who are helmed by ex-Canucks coach Travis Green.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.